A month after 15 miners have been trapped in a coal mine, the search operations for that are nonetheless underway, a three-member committee of the Nationwide Inexperienced Tribunal (NGT) has requested the Meghalaya Police to research into practically 1,200 instances of unlawful quarrying throughout the state.

The inexperienced tribunal had imposed a blanket ban on coal mining and transportation in Meghalaya in 2014, citing unscientific strategies and absence of security measures.

The three-member NGT committee, constituted in August final yr, is at the moment finding out the environmental features of rat-hole mining within the state.

An official mentioned that the police have been informed that their probe ought to attain a logical conclusion after considering all 1200 instances of unlawful rat-hole mining in East Garo Hills, South-West Khasi Hills and West and East Jaintia Hills districts.

On December 13, water from close by Lytein River flooded a community of tunnels in a coal mine in Lumthari village of East Jaintia Hills, trapping 15 males and prompting a rescue try that has didn’t yield any consequence thus far.

The mining goes on unabated within the state might be gauged from the truth that heaps of freshly dug coal is dumped on either side of the street that approaches Lumthari from Khliehriat, the district headquarters of East Jaintia Hills.

In the meantime, official sources mentioned the NGT committee, which has sought police investigation into the registered instances of unlawful mining, is about to go to the state by January-end.

The committee, headed by retired choose Justice (Retd) BP Katakey, will conduct a subject go to to South Garo Hills on January 30 and 31 to review the ground-level state of affairs, they mentioned.

Katakey mentioned that 98 instances of unlawful quarrying have been registered in East Jaintia Hills district alone for the reason that ban.

The committee, after an intensive examine, will put together a report and current it earlier than the tribunal by March 31, he mentioned.

“We have now directed investigation into practically 1,200 instances of unlawful mining and transportation of coal for the reason that 2014 ban. In East Jaintia Hills, the SP has been requested to submit a report on the earliest in reference to the 98 instances recorded within the district,” Katakey added.

An official within the state mining and geology division mentioned Meghalaya doesn’t preserve statistics on mining and mishaps.

“As there isn’t a examine or statistics on the prevalence of mining within the state, the three-member NGT panel has requested district deputy commissioners to furnish all accessible information in reference to the unlawful practices,” he added.

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